Portable electronic devices generally include a permanent swivel attached to the back of the housing of the electronic device. However, some known electronic devices do instead include a detachable swivel. Examples of these known devices are U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,102 to Saarikko et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,341 to Parkas et al. In the Saarikko et al. patent, a carry clip is bent around both of the longitudinal edges of the casing of the electronic device. Both ends of the clip are bent around the longitudinal edges to correspond with the shape of the device. Also, the ends of the clip are configured such that they grip the groove-like means at a joint formed between front and back covers of the casing of the device. Therefore, this known device requires that both longitudinal sides be utilized to secure the swivel to the electronic device which jeopardizes its compactness and, as portable electronic devices become smaller, greater flexibility of a product's design is needed.
The Parkas et al. device discloses a swivel with a unshaped fitting piece inserted at a boundary between the rear cover and the power pack. An exterior portion of the fitting piece rests against the outer surface of the rear cover and an interior second portion 52 of the fitting piece rests along the inner surface of an interior cavity behind the rear cover. The swivel, in this case, is therefore secured in place as a result of the u-shaped fitting piece's engagement with the casing of the electronic device rather than as a result of the power pack being inserted into and maintained onto the casing of the electronic device.
Accordingly, there is a need for a detachably securable swivel which secures to no more than one side of the electronic device to provide greater flexibility for incorporating additional features without compromising its reduced size and which may be more easily secured to the electronic device.